David Cameron says India has ‘credibility’ to mediate in Ukraine war but must rein in Putin

Former British prime minister David Cameron says India has the “credibility” to mediate in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine – as long as it is willing to take a firm line with Vladimir Putin.

India has walked a diplomatic tightrope since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, criticising possible violations of international law while refusing to condemn the war as a whole and at the same time seeking closer trade relationships with both Moscow and Kyiv’s Western allies.

This summer Indian prime minister Narendra Modi travelled to both Kyiv and Moscow within a matter of weeks, even though he was criticised by Volodymyr Zelensky for greeting Mr Putin with a bear-hug on the same day a Ukrainian children’s hospital was bombed.

Mr Cameron was asked about India’s potential role in ending the war during a media summit organised in Delhi by the Indian broadcaster NDTV.

“India has the credibility to be a mediator in the Ukraine war,” he said. “India might be in a position to mediate but it has to ensure that Russian president Vladimir Putin cannot be allowed to take territory by force.”

Mr Cameron’s remarks came ahead of a Russia-hosted summit of the Brics bloc of nations, which began with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Mr Modi spoke at the same NDTV-hosted event on Monday before he was due to travel to the summit in Kazan.

Mr Cameron also advocated for India to have a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He noted that India was a prime example of strong economic growth, democracy and a green transition — all of which were vital for tackling climate crisis.

“You see the rise of India, which will probably become the world’s largest economy at some stage in this century. So, obviously, we need a reset and countries like India should be at its heart,” he said.

Russia has seized large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine since its full-scale invasion began, and the two countries are heading for a third winter at war with little prospect of peace in the short term. Ukraine says it will not agree to a cessation of hostilities that involves giving up its territory, while Russia claims to have annexed several provinces of eastern Ukraine in their entirety – even parts it does not currently occupy.

Mr Zelensky has presented his parliament and international allies with a five-point “victory plan” that includes significantly bolstering the Ukrainian military as a deterrent against future Russian aggression and Kyiv being formally invited to join Nato.

At a media event last week Mr Putin said he could not put a timeline on ending the war, claiming “Nato is waging a war against us”. “We’ll have the upper hand. We will win. We will prevail,” he said.

He also thanked his “friend” Mr Modi for what he described as his continued support, and said he agreed with Mr Modi’s description of Brics as “not an anti-Western one but a non-Western” bloc.

Mr Modi visited Ukraine in August, the first trip by an Indian prime minister since the two countries established diplomatic relations over 30 years ago. It was seen as an exercise in damage control after Mr Modi’s July visit to Russia drew sharp criticism.

The US said at the time it had urged India to use its longstanding relationship with Moscow to persuade Mr Putin to end his “brutal war” in Ukraine.

“We have been quite clear about our concerns about India’s relationship with Russia. We have expressed those privately, directly to the Indian government and continue to do so and that hasn’t changed,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. “We have had conversations with them in the past 24 hours, and I think I’ll keep the contents of those private.”

In a separate White House briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had reiterated that “India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in full and frank dialogue, including their relationship with Russia”.

“And so, we also believe India’s longstanding relationship with Russia gives it the ability to urge president Putin to end his brutal war, an unprovoked war, in Ukraine.”